Knowl, however, was a very considerable territory, and it was possible for a much better pedestrian than I to tire herself effectually, without passing its limits. So we took occasionally long walks.
After some weeks of sullenness2, during which for days at a time she hardly spoke to me, and seemed lost in dark and evil abstraction, she once more, and somewhat suddenly, recovered her spirits, and grew quite friendly. Her gaieties and friendliness3 were not reassuring4, and in my mind presaged5 approaching mischief6 and treachery. The days were shortening to the wintry span. The edge of the red sun had already touched the horizon as Madame and I, overtaken at the warren by his last beams, were hastening homeward.
A narrow carriage-road traverses this wild region of the park, to which a distant gate gives entrance. On descending7 into this unfrequented road, I was surprised to see a carriage standing8 there. A thin, sly postilion, with that pert, turned-up nose which the old caricaturist Woodward used to attribute to the gentlemen of Tewkesbury, was leaning on his horses, and looked hard at me as I passed. A lady who sat within looked out, with an extra-fashionable bonnet9 on, and also treated us to a stare. Very pink and white cheeks she had, very black glossy10 hair and bright eyes — fat, bold, and rather cross, she looked — and in her bold way she examined us curiously11 as we passed.
I mistook the situation. It had once happened before than an intending visitor at Knowl had entered the place by that park-road, and lost several hours in a vain search for the house.
“Ask him, Madame, whether they want to go to the house; I dare say they have missed their way,” whispered I.
“Eh bien, they will find again. I do not choose to talk to post-boys; allons!”
But I asked the man as we passed, “Do you want to reach the house?”
By this time he was at the horses’ heads, buckling12 the harness.
“Noa,” he said in a surly tone, smiling oddly on the winkers, but, recollecting13 his politeness he added, “Noa, thankee, misses, it’s what they calls a picnic; we’ll be takin’ the road now.”
He was smiling now on a little buckle14 with which he was engaged.
“Come — nonsense!” whispered Madame sharply in my ear, and she whisked me by the arm, so we crossed the little stile at the other side.
Our path lay across the warren, which undulates in little hillocks. The sun was down by this time, blue shadows were stretching around us, colder than the splendid contrast of the burnished15 sunset sky.
Descending over these hillocks we saw three figures a little in advance of us, not far from the path we were tracing. Two were standing smoking and chatting at intervals16; one tall and slim, with a high chimney-pot, worn a little on one side, and a white great-coat buttoned up to the chin; the other shorter and stouter18, with a dark-coloured wrapper. These gentlemen were facing rather our way as we came over the edge of the eminence19, but turned their backs on perceiving our approach. As they did so, I remember so well each lowered his cigar suddenly with the simultaneousness of a drill. The third figure sustained the picnic character of the group, for he was repacking a hamper20. He stood suddenly erect21 as we drew near, and a very ill-looking person he was, low-browed, square-chinned, and with a broad, broken nose. He wore gaiters, and was a little bandy, very broad, and had a closely-cropped bullet head, and deep-set little eyes. The moment I saw him, I beheld22 the living type of the burglars and bruisers whom I had so often beheld with a kind of scepticism in Punch. He stood over his hamper and scowled23 sharply at us for a moment; then with the point of his foot he jerked a little fur cap that lay on the ground into his hand, drew it tight over his lowering brows, and called to his companions, just as we passed him —“Hallo! mister. How’s this?”
“All right,” said the tall person in the white great-coat, who, as he answered, shook his shorter companion by the arm, I thought angrily.
This shorter companion turned about. He had a muffler loose about his neck and chin. I thought he seemed shy and irresolute24, and the tall man gave him a great jolt25 with his elbow, which made him stagger, and I fancied a little angry, for he said, as it seemed, a sulky word or two.
The gentleman in the white surtout, however, standing direct in our way, raised his hat with a mock salutation, placing his hand on his breast, and forthwith began to advance with an insolent27 grin and an air of tipsy frolic.
“Jist in time, ladies; five minutes more and we’d a bin28 off. Thankee, Mrs. Mouser, ma’am, for the honour of meetin’, and more particular for the pleasure of making your young lady’s acquaintance — niece, ma’am? daughter, ma’am? grand-daughter, by Jove, is it? Hallo! there, mild’n, I say, stop packin.” This was to the ill-favoured person with the broken nose. “Bring us a couple o’ glasses and a bottle o’ cura?oa; what are you fear’d on, my dear? this is Lord Lollipop29, here, a reg’lar charmer, wouldn’t hurt a fly, he Lolly? Isn’t he pretty, Miss? and I’m Sir Simon Sugarstick — so called after old Sir Simon, ma’am; and I’m so tall and straight, Miss, and slim — ain’t I? and ever so sweet, my honey, when you come to know me, just like a sugarstick; ain’t I, Lolly, boy?”
“I’m Miss Ruthyn, tell them, Madame,” I said, stamping on the ground, and very much frightened.
“Be quaite, Maud. If you are angry, they will hurt us; leave me to speak,” whispered the gouvernante.
All this time they were approaching from separate points. I glanced back, and saw the ruffianly-looking man within a yard or two, with his arm raised and one finger up, telegraphing, as it seemed, to the gentlemen in front.
“Be quaite, Maud,” whispered Madame, with an awful adjuration30, which I do not care to set down. “They are teepsy; don’t seem ‘fraid.”
I was afraid — terrified. The circle had now so narrowed that they might have placed their hands on my shoulders.
“Pray, gentlemen, wat you want? weel a you ‘av the goodness to permit us to go on?”
I now observed for the first time, with a kind of shock, that the shorter of the two men, who prevented our advance, was the person who had accosted31 me so offensively at Church Scarsdale. I pulled Madame by the arm, whispering, “Let us run.”
“Be quaite, my dear Maud,” was her only reply.
“I tell you what,” said the tall man, who had replaced his high hat more jauntily32 than before on the side of his head, “We’ve caught you now, fair game, and we’ll let you off on conditions. You must not be frightened, Miss. Upon my honour and soul, I mean no mischief; do I, Lollipop? I call him Lord Lollipop; it’s only chaff33, though; his name’s Smith. Now, Lolly, I vote we let the prisoners go, when we just introduce them to Mrs. Smith; she’s sitting in the carriage, and keeps Mr. S here in precious good order, I promise you. There’s easy terms for you, eh, and we’ll have a glass o’ cura?oa round, and so part friends. Is it a bargain? Come!”
“Yes, Maud, we must go — wat matter?” whispered Madame vehemently34.
“You shan’t,” I said, instinctively35 terrified.
“You’ll go with Ma’am, young ’un, won’t you?” said Mr. Smith, as his companion called him.
Madame was holding my arm, but I snatched it from her, and would have run; the tall man, however, placed his arms round me and held me fast with an affection of playfulness, but his grip was hard enough to hurt me a good deal. Being now thoroughly36 frightened, after an ineffectual struggle, during which I heard Madame say, “You fool, Maud, weel you come with me? see wat you are doing,” I began to scream, shriek37 after shriek, which the man attempted to drown with loud hooting38, peals39 of laughter, forcing his handkerchief against my mouth, while Madame continued to bawl40 her exhortations41 to “be quaite” in my ear.
“I’ll lift her, I say!” said a gruff voice behind me.
But at this instant, wild with terror, I distinctly heard other voices shouting. The men who surrounded me were instantly silent, and all looked in the direction of the sound, now very near, and I screamed with redoubled energy. The ruffian behind me thrust his great hand over my mouth.
“It is the gamekeeper,” cried Madame. “Two gamekeepers — we are safe — thank Heaven!” and she began to call on Dykes42 by name.
I only remember, feeling myself at liberty — running a few steps — seeing Dykes’ white furious face — clinging to his arm, with which he was bringing his gun to a level, and saying, “Don’t fire — they’ll murder us if you do.”
Madame, screaming lustily, ran up at the same moment.
“Run on to the gate and lock it — I’ll be wi’ ye in a minute,” cried he to the other gamekeeper; who started instantly on this mission, for the three ruffians were already in full retreat for the carriage.
Giddy — wild — fainting — still terror carried me on.
“Now, Madame Rogers — s’pose you take young Misses on — I must run and len’ Bill a hand.”
“No, no; you moste not,” cried Madame. “I am fainting myself, and more villains43 they may be near to us.”
But at this moment we heard a shot, and, muttering to himself and grasping his gun, Dykes ran at his utmost speed in the direction of the sound.
With many exhortations to speed, and ejaculations of alarm, Madame hurried me on toward the house, which at length we reached without further adventure.
As it happened, my father met us in the hall. He was perfectly44 transported with fury on hearing from Madame what had happened, and set out at once, with some of the servants, in the hope of intercepting45 the party at the park-gate.
Here was a new agitation47; for my father did not return for nearly three hours, and I could not conjecture48 what might be occurring during the period of his absence. My alarm was greatly increased by the arrival in the interval17 of poor Bill, the under-gamekeeper, very much injured.
Seeing that he was determined49 to intercept46 their retreat, the three men had set upon him, wrested50 his gun, which exploded in the struggle, from him, and beat him savagely51. I mention these particulars, because they convinced everybody that there was something specially52 determined and ferocious53 in the spirit of the party, and that the fracas54 was no mere55 frolic, but the result of a predetermined plan.
My father had not succeeded in overtaking them. He traced them to the Lugton Station, where they had taken the railway, and no one could tell him in what direction the carriage and posthorses had driven.
Madame was, or affected56 to be, very much shattered by what had occurred. Her recollection and mine, when my father questioned us closely, differed very materially respecting many details of the personnel of the villainous party. She was obstinate57 and clear; and although the gamekeeper corroborated58 my description of them, still my father was puzzled. Perhaps he was not sorry that some hesitation59 was forced upon him, because although at first he would have gone almost any length to detect the persons, on reflection he was pleased that there was not evidence to bring them into a court of justice, the publicity60 and annoyance61 of which would have been inconceivably distressing62 to me.
Madame was in a strange state — tempestuous63 in temper, talking incessantly64 — every now and then in floods of tears, and perpetually on her knees pouring forth26 torrents65 of thanksgiving to Heaven for our joint66 deliverance from the hands of those villains. Notwithstanding our community of danger and her thankfulness on my behalf, however, she broke forth into wrath67 and railing whenever we were alone together.
“Wat fool you were! so disobedient and obstinate; if you ‘ad done wat I say, then we should av been quaite safe; those persons they were tipsy, and there is nothing so dangerous as to quarrel with tipsy persons; I would ‘av brought you quaite safe — the lady she seem so nice and quaite, and we should ‘av been safe with her — there would ‘av been nothing absolutely; but instead you would scream and pooshe, and so they grow quite wild, and all the impertinence an violence follow of course; and that a poor Bill — all his beating and danger to his life it is cause entairely by you.”
And she spoke with more real virulence68 than that kind of upbraiding69 generally exhibits.
“The beast!” exclaimed Mrs. Rusk, when she, I, and Mary Quince were in my room together, “with all her crying and praying, I’d like to know as much as she does, maybe, about them rascals70. There never was such like about the place, long as I remember it, till she came to Knowl, old witch! with them unmerciful big bones of hers, and her great bald head, grinning here, and crying there, and her nose everywhere. The old French hypocrite!”
Mary Quince threw in an observation, and I believe Mrs. Rusk rejoined, but I heard neither. For whether the housekeeper71 spoke with reflection or not, what she said affected me strangely. Through the smallest aperture72, for a moment, I had had a peep into Pandemonium73. Were not peculiarities74 of Madame’s demeanour and advice during the adventure partly accounted for by the suggestion? Could the proposed excursion to Church Scarsdale have had any purpose of the same sort? What was proposed? How was Madame interested in it? Were such immeasurable treason and hypocrisy75 possible? I could not explain nor quite believe in the shapeless suspicion that with these light and bitter words of the old housekeeper had stolen so horribly into my mind.
After Mrs. Rusk was gone I awoke from my dismal76 abstraction with something like a moan and a shudder77, with a dreadful sense of danger.
“Oh! Mary Quince,” I cried, “do you think she really knew?”
“Who, Miss Maud?”
“Do you think Madame knew of those dreadful people? Oh, no — say you don’t — you don’t believe it — tell me she did not. I’m distracted, Mary Quince, I’m frightened out of my life.”
“There now, Miss Maud, dear — there now, don’t take on so — why should she? — no such a thing. Mrs. Rusk, law bless you, she’s no more meaning in what she says than the child unborn.”
But I was really frightened. I was in a horrible state of uncertainty78 as to Madame de la Rougierre’s complicity with the party who had beset79 us at the warren, and afterwards so murderously bear out poor gamekeeper. How was I ever to get rid of that horrible woman? How long was she to enjoy her continual opportunities of affrighting and injuring me?
“She hates me — she hates me, Mary Quince; and she will never stop until she has done me some dreadful injury. Oh! will no one relieve me — will no one take her away? Oh, papa, papa, papa! you will be sorry when it is too late.”
I was crying and wringing80 my hands, and turning from side to side, at my wits’ ends, and honest Mary Quince in vain endeavoured to quite and comfort me.
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收听单词发音
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1
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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2
sullenness
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| n. 愠怒, 沉闷, 情绪消沉 | |
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3
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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presaged
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| v.预示，预兆( presage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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7
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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12
buckling
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| 扣住 | |
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recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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buckle
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| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
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burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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16
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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18
stouter
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| 粗壮的( stout的比较级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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21
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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22
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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23
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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lollipop
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| n.棒棒糖 | |
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adjuration
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| n.祈求，命令 | |
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31
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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32
jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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33
chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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36
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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37
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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38
hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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39
peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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40
bawl
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| v.大喊大叫，大声地喊，咆哮 | |
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41
exhortations
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| n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 )；极力推荐；（正式的）演讲；（宗教仪式中的）劝诫 | |
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42
dykes
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| abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 )；坝；堰；沟 | |
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43
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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44
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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45
intercepting
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| 截取（技术），截接 | |
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46
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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47
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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48
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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49
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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50
wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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51
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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52
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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53
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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54
fracas
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| n.打架；吵闹 | |
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55
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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56
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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57
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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corroborated
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| v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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59
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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61
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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62
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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66
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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67
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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68
virulence
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| n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力 | |
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69
upbraiding
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| adj.& n.谴责（的）v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的现在分词 ) | |
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70
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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71
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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72
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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73
pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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74
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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75
hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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76
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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77
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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78
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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79
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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80
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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